Talent Planning in Operation

Talent Planning in Operation is one of the most critical areas in the Human Resources.

In an organization a diverse workforce is a recipe for success, as they bring different experiences to the table from different parts of the world. Different cultures function in different ways and by embracing the differences we have a potential to change positively and thus achieving greater things. Another example is in the case of expansions, it is always wiser to hire from the people in the new location as it will affect the company positively in many ways, the new local employees will be understanding the area and how to run the business in that area, also it will reflect positively on the company when it is doing its fair share of social responsibility in the form of nationalization. Another type of diversity is hiring newly graduated students to the company, “new blood” can be positive, and will bring a large amount of enthusiasm and energy, also some new ideas can be taken from the fresh graduates that can affect the business positively.

In order to attract such a diverse hi-potential workforce an organization needs to look into different factors, such as:

• Company Image: company image is crucial in order to attract “high-flyers” and it includes what the company does for business and how the company does its business, also if that type of business is considered attractive by the hi-potentials.
• Compensation & Benefits: It is definitely the fact that no one works for free, having an attractive compensation package is one important factor to consider to attract hi-potential employees, also different types of benefits are an important attraction to consider, some companies offer shares in the company, other companies offer home ownership programs, depending on the status of the economy in the area of your operation benefits should be tailored to be attractive.
• Learning & Development: this is one of the pillars of attracting employees, especially to the fresh graduates having a clear learning and development plan will be a definite attraction for them.
• Social Responsibility: this factor can help in polishing the company image as well, social responsibility is important for the pride it will give to the employees of the company, knowing that your company works hard in order to uplift the community and does it fair share in doing so will fulfill the eternal pride to be working for that company.

In addition to the above, companies need to look into the different factors in the approach to the actual recruitment, such as:

• Budget: the manpower planning and recruitment budget is the base factor, having a fair budget to hire an excellent recruitment staff, run the recruitment campaigns, on-board people is a definite factor to take into consideration.
• Technology: we have evolved greatly from the times of receiving paper resumes and sort through them for the “purple squirrel”, a company needs to invest in different types of technologies that help recruiters in finding an even better talent than what they expect. Also they need to approach to newer technologies such as social media and make it part of their overall recruitment strategy.
• Compensation and Benefits: again, this factor is mentioned, but this time it is not on developing it, but on how it is conceived by the external candidates, having a positive way in sharing this information without disclosing confidential materials is important.

Now that we looked at some of the factors, we will get into the benefits of different recruitment and selection methods:

• Recruitment Methods:
  • Career Fairs: career fairs are one of the best methods of recruitment, as it gives insights on the current job qualification market, also, it gives recruiters a chance to spot some of the hi-potential employees, and maybe even have a quick unofficial interview with them.
  • Recruitment Portal: a company with a recruitment portal definitely emphasizes the importance of the recruitment cycle. Having an easy to use and professional looking recruitment portal is a good way of showing a positive company image.
  • Head Hunters: some positions can prove extremely difficult and/or critical to fill, and specialized head hunters can be a very useful tool to assist in those positions.
  • Internal Referral: internal referrals are a positive message to send to existing employees that their contribution matters to the company, but in doing so, the human resources department needs to set clear guidelines on it to avoid nepotism and ensure equal opportunity.
• Selection Methods:
  • Psychometric Exams: these exams offer an insight into the candidate’s personality, and it is important when selecting candidates to see if that candidate’s personality fit within the organization.
  • Assessment Centers: those centers put the candidates in extreme situations and can be effective in selecting the right candidates for the job, especially if the vacancy is critical.
  • Panel Interviews: panel interviews are a good way of showing and implementing equal opportunity practices, and avoiding any and all types of discrimination.